Petition against ban on public mass

[Polak]

It is okay to post a petition right? I don’t remember seeing anything about it not being allowed in the rules.

Catholic bishops in England are speaking out against the ban on mass during the month long national lockdown in England, and have written to the PM about it.

Catholic bishops fight for public Masses as England prepares for second lockdown | Catholic News Agency

There is also a petition that you can sign if you’re a UK citizen. I know there aren’t many of us here, but if you are and would like mass to continue throughout the one month lockdown, please sign.

Allow corporate worship and congregational singing at places of worship - Petitions

I honestly don’t see the difference between private prayer being allowed in a Church building and mass, if it is socially distanced and precautions are taken. It isn’t any less safe than an ‘essential’ shop, as has been mentioned multiple times before. If they wanted to do a booking your place online and having to produce a ‘ticket’ that would be fine with me too.

 

[Anicette]

there is a difference between private prayer in church and a mass.

First, the numbers of people in mass would be much more high

Second, when people take the communion, there is one physical contact between the giver and the faithfull who receive it. And then the communiant has to remoove or moove his mask to “eat” the host. All the physical contacts cannot be safe with so many people.

Third, people will moove. Children will moove, addinf more possible contact. it’s also unlikely that people would not touch something such as chairs or door or candles.

Fourth, according to people here, singing bring much more risk of covid than not sing. it’s even banned in some US states to sing in churches. People who sing or speak on the altar (such as priets) will remoove their mask to be understandable. And often more than one person will come to the same place and touch the same microphone etc.

fith, religious gatherings, christian or not had been proven to be cluster and starters of the pandemic on given places or countries (such as in France and US).

And the end. In our western societies, faithfull Catholics and priests are often old people. Imagine the disaster if your church become a cluster…

 

[Polak]

the numbers of people in mass would be much more high

Not necessarily. Not in England. It might be in some of the Polish parishes in the UK perhaps.

when people take the communion, there is one physical contact between the giver and the faithfull who receive it.

Actually communion hasn’t officially been banned and I know some Polish parishes are still going to be offering communion during Eucharistic adoration and private prayers.

people will moove. Children will moove, addinf more possible contact. it’s also unlikely that people would not touch something such as chairs or door or candles.

Well this shouldn’t be a problem if the rules are very strict. There is no need for people to move. They can be guided to their seat and then leave after mass. Children might be a bit more difficult true, but parents would just need to be more strict with them and not let them run around (they shouldn’t be doing that anyway in church).

according to people here, singing bring much more risk of covid than not sing. it’s even banned in some US states to sing in churches.

According to what people? I have also read some experts say singing makes no difference. Also people have to wear masks in church, so if they sing, it would be into their mask.

Believe me there are a lot of churches in the UK that follow the rules very strictly. Seating is socially distanced. People are made to clean their hands before they go in and no gatherings are allowed before or after mass.

 

[Anicette]

That’s mathematical. If we have religious ceremonies, we will the virus that will spread between people, as in any other public places.

We had answer that there is social distancing and rules put in places. But like in any other public places. In theory, there would be enough to stop the increase of the virus. But in reality, it has not stopped, otherwise, we will never had the need of a second confinement decided in some europeans countries.

Our bishop is positive to the virus, as well to the next door priest.

In our church, since it has become colder, we had the gates closed. So everybody has to push the door. We only have to clean hand after. So yes, there is a risk, because nobody control if everybody is cleaning his hands before touching the door.

And for what you said on children, thanskfully we don’t belong to the same church. That’s not a realistic expectation for toddlers.

According to what people? I have also read some experts say singing makes no difference. Also people have to wear masks in church, so if they sing, it would be into their mask.

Posters here. We had a lot of post on the ban of singing in church, like in California, such as this thread.

Singing in California churches banned Liturgy and Sacraments

I’m not even sure what to say? Protest day after day after day with no masks, but people can’t sing in church? Terrible discrimination. Anyone from California? Is your church going to listen to this nonsense?

That’s a surprise to me, but our french bishops made a move in the same direction as your bishops. They are even more offensive as they just lodge an appeal with the State Conseil (Conseil de l’Etat).
https://www.ouest-france.fr/sante/v...ue-conteste-l-interdiction-des-messes-7038583

In my opinion it is much more serious to ban the religious ceremonies of baptism and marriage (we can have a civil marriage, but not a religious one!) than mass.

I think it’s strange that some polish churches offer eucharist during the confinement. That’s also strange, from aboard that churches remain opened. And also that the Catholic church instituted national parishes. A thing that will not be possible here. Difference of national culture, obviousely.